Page 99 of The Bone Code
“Your daughter’s whereabouts are unknown to you?”
“Don’t make me happy, but that’s a fact.” France crossed one scarecrow leg over the other. Axel popped to his feet, yipped in annoyance, then resettled. “Best this way. Bible says it’s abomination for man to lie with man. Goes for women, too.”
“Is that a fact.” Vislosky’s tone was suddenly cooler.
“Leviticus eighteen twenty-two.”
“You sent your daughter away?”
“Did it to protect Harmony, she being at an impressionable age by then. Had some regrets later. Bonnie Bird’s leaving really tore the girl up.”
“How so?”
“After Bonnie Bird left, the child couldn’t focus on nothing but finding her mama.”
“Didyoutry to find your daughter?”
“I eventually reported her missing. The cops give it a look-see. But that was Bonnie Bird’s way. She got to feeling pissy, she just took off. Cops figured motherhood wasn’t her thing.”
“And there was that ugly lesbian thing.” Glacial.
France said nothing,
“When was the last time you saw Bonnie Bird?”
“Summer of 2015.”
“Who raised Harmony after you threw her mother out?” Vislosky asked.
“That weren’t how it was.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Harmony’s upbringin’ fell to me,” France said. “The Boatwrights,that’d be her other granny and grandpa, was dead, and her daddy got himself killed in prison.”
Sensing Vislosky’s hostility, I joined in, “good cop” style: “That must have been hard.”
“I got some help from a lady friend used to sing with the band.”
“Joy Sparrow?”
“Yes, ma’am.” With an edge of surprise.
“Is Joy Sparrow Bonnie Bird’s mother?”
“No, ma’am. Not that my personal life’s any of your business.”
“Did Harmony grow up in this house?” Vislosky asked, eyes cutting sideways to remind me of my vow of silence.
When France shook his head, the tip of his goatee grazed Axel’s ears. “We was living in town back then.”
“Where is Harmony now?”
“Guess the apple don’t fall far from the tree.”
“Explain that.”
France raised his chin and ran a hand down his throat. When he spoke again, the wispy triangle of hair bobbed in the air.
